Stock Market & Financial Investment News

SEC looking into buyout firm commissions, WSJ reportsThe SEC is looking into commissions that buyout firms such as KKR (KKR) and Blackstone (BX) receive for helping their companies get into group-purchasing programs, Wall Street Journal reports. The SEC is concerned that fund investors are unaware of the fees earned by buyout firms, the paper adds. Reference Link

Samson Resources plans to file for bankruptcy protection, NY Post reportsSamson Resources plans to file for bankruptcy protection "within days," the New York Post reports. KKR (KKR) is slated to lose its approximately $2B investment in the firm, the report says. Cerberus Capital Management, Silver Point Capital, and Credit Suisse (CS) are among the second-lien lenders that hold roughly $1B in debt and will take over Samson in exchange for their loans as part of a prepackaged bankruptcy, the report says. Reference Link

Excel Trust shareholders approve acquisition by Blackstone Excel Trust (EXL) announced that its common stockholders approved the acquisition of Excel Trust by Blackstone (BX) at its special meeting of stockholders held earlier. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions related to the transaction, Excel Trust expects the transaction to close on July 31, 2015, at which time trading of the company's shares on the New York Stock Exchange will cease.

KKR, Borealis Maritime JV acquires Hanseatic Ship Asset Management KKR and Borealis Maritime announced the $254.5M acquisition of Hanseatic Ship Asset Management GmbH, a 100% owned subsidiary of Commerzbank AG controlling a modern fleet of 18 container and dry cargo vessels, through a joint venture vehicle established by the two firms. Embarcadero Maritime III, a joint venture formed by KKR and Borealis Maritime to invest in distressed shipping assets, will acquire HSAM with all its assets. Following this purchase, investment vehicles established by KKR and Borealis will jointly operate a fleet of over 50 vessels in the container, chemical, product and LPG sectors. To date, KKR and Borealis have deployed over $600M into vessel acquisitions and continue to pursue additional transactions opportunistically.